On Thursday, December 8, civil rights and interfaith leaders held a press conference at the CAIR-Chicago office to condemn the controversial new provisions of the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1867) which passed in the Senate last week. SEE PHOTOS

On Thursday, December 8, the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Chicago), along with other civil rights and interfaith groups, will hold a press conference calling on Congress and President Obama to reject the U.S. Senate’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act (S. 1867).

CAIR-Chicago participated in an interfaith press conference held on behalf of the Muslim Education and Cultural Center of America (MECCA), the third mosque denied a permit in DuPage County in the past year.

The Jewish-Muslim Community Building Initiative, presented by the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs and CAIR-Chicago, is holding a discussion and study of Jewish and Muslim texts in relation to youth and social change, in recognition of International Human Rights Day. The meeting will be hosted at the KnockBox Cafe, led by a rabbi and an imam from the Chicago area, and will feature discourse on the role of youth leadership in social progress.

On Monday, Oct. 4th, CAIR-Chicago Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson met with an international envoy from Israel and Palestine to share ideas on how to improve Jewish-Muslim relations through art.

With Pastor Terry Jones’ “Burn A Koran Day” fiasco and the ongoing Park51 debate taking center stage in the media, CAIR-Chicago is taking action. We are challenging misinformation and anti-Muslim rhetoric through interfaith and outreach efforts to educate the public. You may have also seen us in the news recently, adding balanced and informed perspectives to public discourse.

“This is the holiest day for Muslims out of the year,” said Amina Sharif, communications coordinator for CAIR-Chicago. “And since this year it falls so close to 9/11, it’s an opportunity for us to discuss tolerance and peace. It’s a day that we pray for those who are struggling around the world, and that includes the families of 9/11 victims.”

CAIR-Chicago representatives and local Muslim leaders discussed their disappointment in IL Gov. Pat Quinn’s comments regarding the New York mosque controversy and their concern that a growing anti-Muslim network is spreading Islamophobia through fear mongering. They also shared examples of other mosques around the country that are facing opposition, including one in Naperville which CAIR-Chicago is currently litigating on behalf of.

Celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the Jewish month of Elul together with evening prayers, free food and great conversation.

“There may be differences in political viewpoint and cultural viewpoint, but there’s often far more similarities,” said Outreach Coordinator Gerald Hankerson. “We really cultivate the idea that we should be proactive based on our faith traditions to make a better society here in Chicago.”